What Do Marketing Agencies Do? A Plain-English Guide

If you've ever wondered what you'd actually get for your money from a marketing agency, you're not alone. "Marketing agency" covers everything from a two-person social media studio to a global network with thousands of staff.

This guide explains what marketing agencies do day to day, the main types of agency, how they charge and what to look for when hiring one.

What a marketing agency does, in one sentence

A marketing agency plans and runs the activities that bring a business attention, leads and customers — using specialists and tools that would be expensive to hire in-house.

The core services most agencies offer

• Strategy — understanding your audience, positioning and which channels to use
• SEO — improving your visibility in Google and AI search (our SEO services)
• Paid advertising — Google Ads, Meta, LinkedIn and other platforms (PPC management)
• Social media — content, community management and paid social (social media marketing)
• Content — articles, landing pages, video and email (content marketing)
• Web design and development — the website everything points to (web development)
• Analytics and reporting — measuring what works and what doesn't

Types of marketing agency

Digital agency definition: a digital agency focuses on online channels — websites, search, social, email and digital ads — rather than print, TV or outdoor.

• Full-service marketing agency — covers strategy, creative and most channels under one roof
• Specialist agency — focuses on one channel, such as SEO, PPC or social media
• Creative agency — focuses on brand, campaigns and design (see creative agency vs marketing agency)
• Performance marketing agency — focuses on measurable outcomes like leads and sales (performance marketing)
• Web development agency — builds websites and apps, sometimes with marketing attached

What does a marketing company do week to week?

A typical month on a retainer looks like this: planning and approval of content and campaigns, production (writing, design, video), publishing and launching, daily or weekly optimisation of ads, technical fixes to the website, and a monthly report and call. Good agencies also bring ideas — tests to run, new channels to try — not just execution.

How marketing agencies charge

• Monthly retainers for ongoing work such as SEO, social and PPC management
• Project fees for defined deliverables like websites, audits or brand identities
• Percentage of ad spend for some paid media accounts
• Hourly or day rates for consulting

For typical ranges, read how much does digital marketing cost.

How to choose a marketing agency

• Ask who will actually do the work — and talk to them before signing
• Ask how they'll measure success, in terms of your business goals
• Look for case studies in your industry or with similar problems
• Check you'll own your accounts, data and content
• Avoid anyone promising guaranteed rankings or results

FAQ

Is it worth hiring a marketing agency?

If you need several skills — strategy, design, ads, SEO, analytics — an agency is usually cheaper than hiring them all in-house, and faster to start.

What's the difference between a marketing agency and a digital agency?

A digital agency is a marketing agency focused on online channels. Today most marketing agencies are largely digital.